


Be Kind. Rewind.

by caramel_sins



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: 1996 to be exact, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 1990s, Bisexual Rose Tico, F/M, Hux is a sad sack, Mitaka is Mitaka only in name, Phasma is just referenced but she’s pretty badass, Rose is a riot grrl, VHS nostalgia, romcom, so many movie references, so that’s cool, video rental store
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:55:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25639864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caramel_sins/pseuds/caramel_sins
Summary: “Your job. You should quit.” She stated matter-of-factly. He was stunned for a moment. What did she know? Did she know someone at the firm? Friend of Mitaka? Mind reader?“What the hell are you going on about?”“Every Friday you come in here with a bottle of vodka and you rent Glengarry Glen Ross. You obviously hate your job.” He was flabbergasted. She read him like a fucking book.Rose is the clerk at Hux’s local video rental place. When she starts giving him movie recommendations sparks begin to fly.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico
Comments: 30
Kudos: 99





	Be Kind. Rewind.

It was rather easy for Hux to fall into a routine. He’d been that way since he was small. “A creature of habit” is what his mother called him. She used to tease him, saying she could set her watch to him even when he was a baby. Though she teased she always said it was one of his best attributes, his consistency. And he had thought so too, for a time. Consistency and punctuality made for a good student and then a good employee, an even better lawyer. Routines were reliable by nature and so was he. Routines were also boring. And men who followed routines to the fucking letter were sad and boring men. And this particular habit he had picked up was _particularly_ sad and pathetic. In a small bout of self awareness he had dubbed this routine of his the “Depression Tour.”

It started at the Italian restaurant on the corner. There he would have chicken Marsala and two glasses of whatever the house wine was, he could never remember and he didn’t really care. Sometimes he would mix it up with whatever the fish special was but tonight it was something like tilapia so he wasn’t interested. Then he would make his way to the liquor store on the corner where he would buy a mid-tear bottle of vodka from the clerk who unfortunately knew him by name. 

“Hey, Hux,” he would say as he rang up the bottle. He was a young man, handsome with exquisite dark skin. Hux had noticed that about him. The skin on his face was flawless, soft looking and smooth, like he had never had a blemish in his life. It annoyed Hux a little who had a short bout of acne as a teenager. One always hated what one couldn’t have. He still had a scar on his left temple from a pretty voracious spot. 

“Hello, Finn.” He would reply tersely. He didn’t like that he knew the man’s name but he felt politeness dictated that he use it. 

Hux noticed for the first time that Finn had one dangling earring in one ear and nothing in the other. His blue t-shirt had a little Keith Haring drawing on it, an outline of a man dancing with a barking dog. He wondered for a minute if he was gay. There were a lot of gay folks in the neighborhood, the area was known for some rather popular gay bars and some famous gay artists had studios and such down the block. Hux had been on the receiving end of some truly tasteless jokes from colleagues who thought that it was _very_ funny that Hux had bought an apartment in the area. 

He wondered for a moment if that bothered him and he decided rather quickly that it didn’t. Who gave a fuck? The only friend Hux really had was his assistant, Mitaka, and he was gay.

Poor guy tried to hide it but Hux had spotted him walking out of a club one night. He had looked stricken, like he’d seen a ghost and he practically ran to the subway station trying to flee Hux’s gaze. Hux had called him to his office the following Monday. He felt awful about it, seeing the look on Mitaka’s face. He should have called him over the weekend but he hadn’t. Hux quickly assured him that he wasn’t bothered by it, that there was nothing to be bothered about. Mitaka had asked him if he was “ _ya know_ , gay?” And Hux had replied with a firm “no, though it wouldn’t be the end of the world if that were the case.” After that their friendship had solidified and Hux hadn’t been upset about it.

As Hux eyed Finn’s shirt and earring he wondered if Mitaka would like him. He was handsome and seemed nice, interesting. He pushed the thought away. No one was as ill suited for matchmaking as he was. 

“Anything else, Hux?” Finn asked. He always asked that even though there was never anything else. Hux shook his head and completed the transaction in silence. Finn slipped the bottle in a brown paper bag and handed it over to him. Hux hated the brown paper bag. It was so obvious. Everyone on his little Depression Tour knew he had booze in there. It made him feel scummy. 

“Goodnight.” Finn called as Hux practically ran out the front door. Hux just waved back, without looking. 

Next stop on the tour was _Resistance Video._ He hated the name. It was supposed to be a big fuck you to Blockbuster and all the other chain video rental places but it felt impotent. What was so goddamn revolutionary about a shitty little rental place? But it was the one closest to his apartment so it suited him fine. 

The door rang every time someone entered or exited the shop. It was not a soft tinkling like other _normal_ stores. No, it was a cowbell. Every time it announced the comings and goings of the customers with a grating clank. Another indignity he had to suffer for the sake of the Depression Tour. 

Hux knew the store well enough by now that he made a beeline to his destination. In the _“_ Drama” section under G sat the cover for the VHS of _Glengarry Glen Ross._ He wondered if he was the only person who rented it. It was always there, every Friday, ready to be the last stop on the Depression Tour. Today was no different. He grabbed it, making his way up to the front desk. He slapped it on the counter with little preamble as he fished for his membership card in his pocket. 

“You should quit.” Hux looked up sharply at the clerk in front of him. She was a tiny young woman, with long dark hair, thick bangs and a red and black flannel shirt over her white t-shirt. It had art for some band called _The Raincoats_ on it. 

“What?” He asked. 

“Your job. You should quit.” She stated matter-of-factly. He was stunned for a moment. What did she know? Did she know someone at the firm? Friend of Mitaka? Mind reader? 

“What the hell are you going on about?” He sounded angrier than he felt but he couldn’t help the sharp rebuke. What right did she have to tell him to do the thing he had been dreaming of doing for almost a year now? 

“Every Friday you come in here with a bottle of vodka and you rent _Glengarry Glen Ross._ You obviously hate your job.” He was flabbergasted. She read him like a fucking book. 

“It’s a good movie. It’s a Mamet screenplay.” He replied defensively. Pathetically, if he was being honest. 

“Yeah, I know.” She smiled a little. It was a cute smile, made a dimple on her right cheek show. The expression softened him a bit. 

“How do you know it’s vodka?” He asked her. She shrugged. 

“Just a guess.” 

“Good guess.” He replied as she handed her his membership card. She took it but didn’t do anything with it, she just looked up at him, her eyes soft and earnest. 

“You should quit. Or at least rent a different movie.” She tapped the cover of his precious _Glengarry_. Hux stared at it for a stretch of time letting out a long sigh. 

“The second sounds easier.” He admitted. She smiled a little wider at him, making her cheeks push up into her eyes. His mother would have described her as “cute as a button.” If pressed, he would have too. 

“The first sounds fun, though. Wouldn’t you love to stick it to whatever financial firm you’ve crawled out of?” She sounded gleeful. She seemed like the type who would hate Wall Street, granted he did too. Most sane people hated Wall Street.

“It’s a law firm.” He corrected her. Her eyebrows jumped in surprise. 

“Oh yeah? I always pegged you as a Gordon Gecko type.” She said as she pulled the tape from the filing system behind the counter. 

“You pegged wrong.” She smiled a little. 

“Can’t be right all the time.” She shoved the tape in a little VHS player, checking to make sure it was rewound. It had not been. She frowned and shook her head as she pressed the rewind button. The machine whirred as it went about its task.

“How come you know so much about my habits?” He asked her as he waited for his tape. 

“Just the power of observation.” She replied distractedly as she watched the timer countdown. It was half way done. 

“Well you know too much. Now I have to kill you.” He joked, or he at least attempted to. He felt oddly nervous around her. All of a sudden his words hit him and he cursed himself. What a fucking twat! You don’t say that shit to a woman alone in a video rental store! What was he thinking? 

To his great relief she snorted a laugh, eyes never leaving the video player.

“Alright, 007.” She quipped. He chuckled a little, relief washing over him.

“It’s the accent, isn’t it?” She nodded as she pulled the tape out of the player.

“And the aloof manner.” She replied dryly. He laughed a little harder at that. She gave him a self-satisfied smile as she placed the tape in the cover.

“I’ll have to work harder at concealing my identity.” He ventured another joke. She laughed as she moved over to the register, picking up his card from the counter. She looked down at the tape and sighed. 

“At least rent another movie.” He looked at her, brows raised. He supposed she was right. He needed to find something else for the Depression Tour. Mix things up a little. He didn’t really know how, though.

“I don’t know any other movies.” He admitted. 

“Oh come on! Here, I got one.” She opened up the cabinet with all the videos. She searched for a moment and found what she was looking for, pulling it out of the stack triumphantly. “ _Dogfight_ . It’s good. You’ll like it, I promise. If you don’t you can rent _Glengarry Glen Ross_ again without a single peep from me.” She moved out from behind the counter and made her way over to the dramas, pulling the cover from the shelf. She brought it over to the counter and slipped the video in. 

“Alright. I’ll take both of them.” He acquiesced. She smiled like she just won a battle. 

“My name's Rose, by the way.” She told him as she rang him up. 

“Hi Rose. I’m Hux.” He replied as he pulled out cash from his wallet.

“I know.” 

“Power of observation?” He asked. 

“Membership card.” She said as she waved the plastic card in front of his face. He took it from her hands and slipped it back in his wallet. She handed him the plastic bag with his tapes and he made his way to the front door.

“Well goodnight, Rose.” He said over the clang of the cowbell.

“Night, 007.” Rose replied with a big wave. 

He went home to a dark apartment, as always. He turned on the kitchen light, grabbing a tumbler from the cabinet and poured himself a martini. Well not a martini in the formal sense of the word. There were no olives, or lemon twists, no ice. It wasn’t even shaken or stirred. No it was just a glass tumbler full of middle-of-the-road vodka. Just a sad pathetic glass of vodka for a sad pathetic man.

He flopped down on his couch, loosening his tie as he kicked his feet up on the coffee table. He pulled the tapes out of the bag and stared at them. He thought about just going about his business as usual. Watch _Glengarry Glen Ross_ , dream about murdering Alec Baldwin, or more accurately an Alec Baldwin Kylo Ren hybrid. At a certain point he would get drunk enough that he would just fall asleep and wake up to do his Saturday routine which consisted of Alka Seltzer, a trip to the grocery store and maybe dinner with Mitaka if he was lucky. 

But tonight he just stared at the tape of _Dogfight_ . River Phoenix’s face stared back. He was a handsome kid. Always would be a kid. The thought was depressing. The idea of watching him was depressing. But the thought of watching _Glengarry Glen Ross_ for the umpteenth time while he got more and more sloshed seemed even more depressing. So he took out the tape of _Dogfight_ and popped it in. And instead of thinking about how shitty his life was and how much he wanted to quit his job he watched the movie and thought about nothing else.

****

Hux resumed the Depression Tour the following Friday. The fish had sounded alright so he had that instead of the Marsala but it was basically the same as always. Finn greeted him as he always did, ready to ring up his bottle of vodka. They said their normal pleasantries and bid each other good evening. Hux was less perturbed by this arrangement than he usually was. He was in a generally better mood than he was accustomed to but not significantly so. It was just good enough to make him less of an asshole. He was sure it would wear off by next week. 

He headed over to _Resistance Video_ with a bit of lightness in his step. It was strange but he chalked it up to his slightly elevated mood. Rose was at the counter when he entered, cowbell heralding his arrival. She looked up and smiled wide when she saw him. 

“Hey, 007, how’d _Dogfight_ treat ya?” She asked. He smiled at her, heading over to the counter. She had a magazine opened, it looked like some music magazine. Glossy pictures of women with guitars were interspersed with chunks of text. She wore a black smock style dress with layers of necklaces around her throat. She looked cool, much too cool for him.

“It was good. Really good actually.” He admitted. She smiled broadly. She leaned over and smacked him on the arm in a playful manner. 

“I told you! Don’t you love it? It gets so much right.” She was right. It had felt strangely real to him and he supposed that’s what he liked about it. Eddie reminded him of himself quite a bit. A lot of anger and no place to put it. Hux was better at that now than he was at nineteen but not by that much. 

“You like it because her name is Rose.” He said. She chuckled. 

“That’s why I like _Golden Girls_ too. All entertainment should be Rose-based.” She stated, definitively. He laughed a little. She was pretty funny. 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He stood awkwardly in front of the counter not sure if he should go find himself another movie or pick up his old standby again. She seemed to sense his uncertainty. 

“I have another recommendation if you want it.” She offered. He nodded. 

“Sure.” She smiled reaching behind the counter for a tape. It was already in its cover like she had it ready for him. That was interesting. 

“ _The Hudsucker Proxy._ Same vibe as _Glengarry_ but funnier, a little kinder too.” She slid it across the counter. He stared into the face of a grinning Tim Robbins flanked by Jennifer Jason Leigh and Paul Newman. It looked interesting. She had been right about _Dogfight_ so she must be right about this. Rose looked like she had good taste. 

“Okay.” He replied with a nod. She nodded too, sliding the tape across the counter to the register and taking his membership card. 

“You want _Glengarry,_ too?” She asked as she plugged in the numbers. He thought about it for a minute. 

“Uhh. No thanks.” He finally replied. She looked up, a bit surprised but seemingly pleased. 

“Alright. Changing things up. I like it.” She rang him up, taking the cash he offered her.

“Just this week.” He assured her. She nodded with a knowing smile as she handed him the bag with the tape inside.

“Okay.” 

****

Hux made himself his usual “martini” though he didn’t fill it as much as he usually did. He reasoned that he could always get more later but he wanted to be sharper than he usually was. A new movie meant he had to pay more attention and he wanted to. 

Hux was ultimately glad he did. The movie was good, funny, charming, well shot. Tim Robbins was good at the transformation from naive kid to self-satisfied businessman. Jennifer Jason Leigh was sharp and well cast. It scratched the itch that _Glengarry Glen Ross_ always did but he didn’t feel so rotten afterward. It had a more hopeful ending though the writing was still biting.

Rose was right, again. 

****

Hux ate at the Italian place the next week. He ordered piccata this time. He found he didn’t like it as much as the Marsala but he was glad he tried something different. 

He went to the liquor store and instead of the usual bottle of vodka he got he reached for something a bit nicer, smoother. He didn’t end up finishing the one from last week so he figured this one would last a little longer. He made plenty of money (selling your soul was somewhat profitable) he could afford the top shelf stuff. 

Finn seemed surprised by his choice but he blessedly said nothing. They exchanged their usual pleasantries. Hux’s replies were a bit clipped. He was anxious to leave, anxious for his next stop on the tour. 

When he walked into _Resistance Video_ he barely heard the clang of the cowbell. Rose was at the register, she was sitting on a tall stool, her knees knocking into the edge of the counter. She had black tights on, he hoped they were thermal. It was cold out, late February, making the sidewalk icy. He could see her plaid skirt fanned out over her lap, it looked a bit like a school uniform. It was too long to be considered particularly fashionable but on her it looked nice. She had another t-shirt on, the hem of it tucked in. It had the name _Bratmobile_ screen printed on. It looked homemade.

She was reading a book, he couldn’t see the spine since it was in her lap, cushioned in the folds of her skirt. She didn’t look up, she seemed engrossed in the story. 

“What are you reading?” He asked. She jumped at the sound of his voice, her book flying to the floor. 

“Sorry-shit-I’m sorry, Rose.” He stuttered. He reached a hand out as if he was going to help her but the counter was in the way. He couldn’t help her even if he wanted to. 

“You scared me, 007. Must be all that spy training.” She said as she gathered her book from the floor. 

“I’m sorry.” He said again. She waved a dismissive hand.

“Stop apologizing. Shouldn’t be reading on the clock anyway.” She placed a bookmark in her spot. 

“What’s the book?” He asked again. 

“ _Perfume: The Story of a Murderer_ by Peter Suskind,” she replied, lifting it up so he could see the cover. 

“Oh, good book.” He replied, gesturing toward the spine. 

“You’ve read it?” She asked. He nodded.

“Yeah. A while ago.” She smiled. He liked making her smile. 

“It’s good, isn’t it? Makes you think a lot. I swear I’ve never _smelled_ so much in my life. Just sniffing everything because I can.” She scrunched you her nose like she was sniffing the air. It was really very cute.

“It does have that effect. You should read Diane Ackerman’s _A Natural History of the Senses._ It’s the smell thing but for all the senses. It’s a good book.” She nodded her head. Strands of her dark hair fell forward into her eyes. She brushed them aside, tucking them behind her ear. 

“Sounds interesting, I’ll have to check it out. What can I do you for?” She asked as she shoved the book under the counter. 

“Any more recommendations?” He asked. She smiled wide. 

“Of course! Did you like _The Hudsucker Proxy_?” She asked. He nodded. 

“I did. It was very good, very funny but in a clever way.” She nodded, knowingly, smiling the whole time. She smiled a lot. He wondered if she smiled like this just for him or if everyone was blessed with her cheery disposition. He secretly hoped it was just for him.

“Isn’t it? I love that kind of humor. And Jennifer Jason Leigh is great. I wish she was in more shit.” He nodded his agreement. She was right of course. 

“So what’s the recommendation?” He asked. She made a face like she had forgotten and dove down behind the counter to some unseen cubby. 

“Oh yeah. So I have two: one if you didn’t like _Hudsucker_ and another if you did.” She said from the floor behind the counter, it sounded like she was rummaging. 

“Can I see both?” He asked, as he peered over at her. She popped up quickly, making him jump back. She didn’t seem to notice she just flung two VHS’s on the counter. 

“Sure. This one, _Barton Fink,_ is from the same guys who did _Hudsucker_ the other one is a little out of left field. It’s an old movie. Do you like old movies?” She didn’t wait for him to answer, just pressed on. “ _Dance, Girl, Dance._ It’s got Lucille Ball in it. It was directed by one of the only women directors at the time, Dorothy Arzner. She was amazing! She was like an out lesbian and she slept with all the big stars and she made these amazing movies. I think you would like it.” He liked the fire in her eyes. She wasn’t very eloquent but she was passionate. He had a feeling she could talk a lot longer about it but was trying to hold it in. He wished she wouldn’t but he kept his mouth shut. 

“They both sound good. I’ll take them.” He went for his wallet and she made a surprised face. 

“Really? Okay!” It sounded like she didn’t expect him to agree. She sounded like she was excited he did. Before she brought the VHS’s over she pulled out a big black cardigan from under the table. She slipped it on, the cold air finally getting to her.

“So have you quit yet?” She asked as she pulled the cardigan around her. 

“What? Oh, yeah, I haven’t quit. No.” He felt strange like he was getting in trouble at school, like he disappointed her somehow. 

“Why not?” Rose asked as she rang up the tapes.

“It’s complicated.” She stopped what she was doing and looked up at him, like she really _looked_ at him. He felt like a bug pinned to a board under her gaze. He shifted slightly.

“You hate your job, right? And you don’t want to do it anymore. So quit. What’s so complicated about that?” She said it with such confidence he almost believed her. Almost.

“I don’t not want to do my job. I like my job.” He tried to explain. He wasn’t very good at it.

“Really? It doesn’t feel that way.” She shrugged and went back to what she was doing. She was so sure of herself. He tried to explain himself again.

“I mean I like being a lawyer. I like that quite a bit actually.” She looked up at him and smiled. 

“You’ll like _Barton Fink._ ” She finished her task and slipped the tapes in a plastic bag.

“You know, you can lawyer somewhere else.” She told him. He nodded.

“True.” She looked at him for a long moment like she wanted to say something but didn’t. He stood waiting, for what he wasn’t sure. 

“Well you’re all rung up. Need anything else?” She finally broke the silence and he started a little at the suddenness of it. He took his bag.

“No, I don’t think so. Thank you, Rose.” She smiled. 

“Of course. Just doing my duty for king and country.” She did a fake bow that made Hux chuckle. 

“The crown appreciates your service.” He replied with his poshest accent and a false seriousness. She laughed, giving him a salute. 

“Goodnight, 007.” 

“Night, Rose.”

****

The vodka was so much better. It went down so smooth it was like water from a spring. Well harsh alcoholic water, but it was still good. He cursed himself for getting the better bottle. There was no going back now. 

****

Hux really liked _Barton Fink_ . It was an odd film, for sure, but it spoke to him. He felt for Barton, he understood the way something you love could be perverted by the people around you. He didn’t really understand the symbolism with the photograph of the woman but if he thought about it more maybe he would figure it out. _Dance, Girl, Dance_ was strangely similar, an artist with dreams whose aims were perverted. They complimented each other. They were both haunting in different ways. He couldn’t shake either of them and he didn’t really want to. Every time he thought of them he thought of Rose and he really liked thinking of Rose. 

On Wednesday he took a long lunch with Mitaka. His caseload was light, it had been light a lot lately. Most of his work was going to Pryde. That fucking asshole took each case with unmitigated glee, thriving off of Hux’s misery. If Kylo Ren wasn’t bad enough he had to contend with the smug, ass-sniffing, Pryde. God, he hated his fucking job. 

Mitaka chose the place, a diner two blocks away. They had been there before but Hux usually turned his nose up at diner food. He didn’t like to be called a snob but he knew he kind of was. Mitaka had knocked him down a few pegs over the course of their friendship, making him expand his horizons a little. So when Mitaka suggested the diner he acquiesced without a fuss. He was in the mood for a burger. 

They sat down at a booth, throwing their coats in the seat beside them. The waitress came over rather quickly and they ordered burgers. Mitaka got his with no cheese and extra pickle. 

“What are you? A monster?” Hux asked after the waitress left. Mitaka furrowed his brows, frowning a bit. 

“What? I don’t like cheese.” He explained. Hux rolled his eyes.

“That’s fine. But extra _pickle_?” Hux asked with a sneer. Pickles were fine when used sparingly but extra? That was ludicrous. Mitaka shrugged. 

“It’s brine-y. I like the flavor.” Hux made a face. Mitaka laughed at him. 

“Insanity. Madness.” Hux grumbled. Mitaka stuck his hand out, pointing an accusing finger at Hux. 

“Hey! I don’t say anything about the ungodly amount of mustard you put on yours.” Mitaka countered. Hux frowned. He put just the right amount of mustard on his burger. Who was Mitaka to judge? 

“Alright. Enough with the burger talk.” He grumbled. Mitaka let out a bark of laughter, shaking his head. 

“You can dish it but you just can’t take it, can you?” Mitaka gave Hux a soft, almost affectionate smile. He knew Hux rather well. 

“I’m weak.” Hux admitted. Mitaka nodded as he took a sip of his Coke. 

“Hmm. So how's Video Girl?” Hux’s head nearly snapped from whiplash. How was Mitaka so deft are changing the subject? He glared at his friend. 

“Her name is Rose.” He said in a voice that was somewhere between firm and perturbed. Mitaka was undaunted.

“I’ll call her Rose when you finally ask her out. She’s Video Girl until then.” Mitaka leant back in his seat, crossing his arms defiantly. He was a formidable foe.

“I’ve only talked to her a handful of times. It would hardly be appropriate to accost her at work.” Hux reasoned. Mitaka rolled his eyes.

“Accost her? Christ, Armie, I’m not suggesting you jump her at the checkout counter. Just ask her for coffee or something. Maybe a movie?” What Mitaka was saying was very, very logical. It also made Hux want to throw up. He looked around the diner. Where were their damn burgers? 

“No that would be inappropriate.” He countered. Mitaka let out an exasperated sigh. 

“She likes you! She sets movies aside just for you. That’s something. Plus you won’t shut up about her.” Hux resented that. He talked of other things. Well he talked about work. And that was pretty much it. But that was another thing!

“She has to be nice to everyone. And I talk of other things.” He replied. Mitaka let out a chuckle.

“Sure you do. You talk about the movies she recommends to you, the bands on her t-shirts, and the movies she’ll recommend next. All things point back to Video Girl with you.” He made a little path with his finger on the table. Hux watched his finger with a deep frown. He had to divert this conversation somehow. He was sick of having it. 

“So what happened with that guy you met at the theater?” Hux asked, hoping an opportunity to talk about himself would distract Mitaka. He was not so easily distracted. 

“Oh no, no, no. You’re not weaseling your way out of this one.” He shook his head wagging a finger at Hux. Dammit. The man was impenetrable. Hux tried again. 

“What? I’m genuinely interested. What was his name? Johnathan?” Mitaka let out a long sigh and narrowed his eyes at Hux. He was too smart for him.

“Jonah.” Mitaka’s reply was clipped but it seemed like he would go along with it for a minute. 

“Jonah! That’s it. What happened with him?” Hux jumped on the opportunity to change the subject like a drowning man jumping on a raft. He was saved! 

“Eh. He was fine. There was no real spark. And he was one of those people who never seemed like he was listening, just waiting for the next time he was able to speak.” Hux nodded along.

“Sorry, what? I wasn’t listening.” Hux replied dryly. Mitaka laughed a little and rolled his eyes.

“Ha, ha, ha. Do you use that on your Video Girl?” Hux glared at him.

“Oh you fucking bastard. I thought we were done with that.” Mitaka clapped with glee. Hux was bested again. 

“Never. Ask her out.” Just then the waitress arrived with their burgers. Each of them muttered a thank you to her and resumed their conversation as if it were never interrupted. 

“I’m not asking her out. This discussion is over. I’m pulling rank.” Hux stated firmly. Mitaka’s hand flew to his chest like he was hurt. Hux knew he was not. 

“I resent that.” Mitaka stated flatly as he picked up his vile burger and took a bite. 

“You’ll live.” Hux countered. Mitaka rolled his eyes and slid the mustard across the table to Hux. 

“Fine. Here’s the mustard. Destroy your burger and shut up.” 

****

Hux was starting to look forward to Fridays. Before he saw the weekend as just a light reprieve from his hellish existence. Two days and three nights that were for wallowing in misery. Now they held some kind of promise. The Depression Tour felt a little less depressing. 

He started off in the Italian restaurant as always. He noticed for the first time that there was a picture of De Niro on the wall. He wondered if he ate there. Probably not. Every Italian place in this city boasted that De Niro or Scorsese sat at one of their tables. They all couldn’t be telling the truth.

He ordered a pasta dish this time. Something called Amtriciana. He couldn’t really pronounce it but the waiter got the jist. It was good. Spicy. It made his tongue tingle pleasantly. Maybe this would be his new Marsala. One could only hope. 

He didn’t stop at the liquor store this week. He had enough vodka to see him through until next Friday. He found that he didn’t really have to drink himself to sleep on a Friday night anymore. He still drank more than he probably should during the week but he found the weekends to be more bearable. Between the not so depressing Depression Tour and dinners with Mitaka on Saturdays he wasn’t doing all that bad.

Hux went straight to _Resistance Video_ . The bell clanged as he walked in. Rose was with a customer but she looked up and waved when she saw him. He smiled at her and waved back. She wore the same black cardigan as last time. Underneath she had another band shirt on. This one was for _The Slits._ He actually knew that one.

As he waited he mosied around the store a bit, taking stock of the wares. He stood in front of a stand that said “New Releases.” He skimmed over the titles. Some he recognized like _Casino_ and _Clueless_ . He saw _Party Girl_ on the bottom shelf. He’d seen that one with Mitaka. Mitaka liked it more than he did but he found it charming enough. He picked up one with a little girl on the front, the title looked like letters cut out of a magazine. _Welcome to the Dollhouse_. It looked like something Rose would like. 

“Hey, 007!” Rose called after the customer left. He looked up. She was smiling at him leaning against the counter, hands flat on the surface. She looked eager to talk to him. Something about that made him blush. 

“Hey. I actually know that band.” He gestured to her shirt. She looked down and then back up at him, brows raised.

“Yeah?” She seemed surprised. He supposed it was rather surprising. He didn’t really look like a guy who knew who _the Slits_ were.

“ _The Slits_. My Mum used to do some photography for them when I was a kid.” He remembered being there with her. It was one of the few times his father let him stay with his mother. They had the whole summer together. It was the best summer of his life. He had been fifteen and so happy to bask in the glow of her sunshine. 

“Your mother took photos for _The Slits_?” It was a bit hard to believe. His mother had lived a strange life. Wild, free, blessedly away from his father. He wished that he had lived that life with her. He thinks she would have preferred it that way too. 

“Yeah. She was part of that whole scene in London at the time. She was very cool. Much cooler than me.” He admitted. There was a flicker of something on her face when she noticed that he used the past tense but she said nothing.

“That’s the problem with cool parents, isn’t it? Hard to live up to. I was blessed with deeply uncool parents. They were very easy to top.” He laughed, relieved that she moved on from conversations about his mother. He wasn’t really sure why he felt the need to bring her up but Rose seemed to have that effect on him.

“That is a blessing.” He teased. Rose smiled and nodded. 

“I think so. So what did you think of the movies?” She asked, tilting her head. She took a strand of her long dark hair and twirled around her finger. The action was a little mesmerizing.

“Good as always. You have good taste.” He told her. She preened a little at the compliment. It was cute.

“Why thank you. Did you pick one for yourself?” She gestured to the tape in his hand. He hadn’t realized he still had _Welcome to the Dollhouse_. 

“Oh. I guess so.” He looked at the tape, suddenly fascinated by the bright red of the cover. 

“It’s a good one.” She said. He looked up at her and smiled a little. 

“I thought it would be one you liked.” Her brow quirked at his admission. 

“Did you now?” She was teasing him, he knew it, but he couldn’t help feel like he was a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. 

“All these recommendations are giving me good insight into your taste.” He tried to cover his tracks. Tried to make it seem like he didn’t constantly think of what she would and wouldn’t like. 

“So far all that my recommendations indicate is an unhealthy obsession with the Coen brothers and a predilection for female directors.” She had a twinkle in her eye like she knew. He had to deflect. What would Mitaka do?

“You caught me. I’ve been using my tightly honed spy skills to track your movements. Particularly your taste in pop-culture.” She laughed. He felt relieved. 

“I thought we already established my desire for Rose-based entertainment. Your task should be simple. No need to call Q in on this one.” She joked. He laughed. She was really funny. He liked her sense of humor, dry and clever. 

“How could I forget?” His cheeks hurt from smiling so much. The muscles were unused to being employed. 

“So do you want my recommendations or are you ready to go out there on your own?” She asked. 

“I want your input. What do you have for me?” She liked that answer. She grinned before she dipped down below the counter to the cubby where she kept the videos she saved for him. She popped up quickly slamming two movies on the counter. She hid them under the palms of her hands. She seemed to like a theatrical reveal.

“Since you liked _Dance, Girl, Dance_ I know you’re not afraid of black and white films so I got some old ones for you. This one here, _A Taste of Honey_ , is from your neck of the woods. Now you need a chaser with that one. So I have my personal favorite which is _Born Yesterday._ ” He stared for a long time at the picture of Judy Holiday on the front of the second tape. Her smile felt so familiar and comforting. 

“I’ve seen it.” He hoped his voice wasn’t hoarse. He couldn’t really hear it over the beat of his own heart. 

“You have?” She looked pleased. Her dimple deepened as her smile grew warm. It steadied him a little. He nodded. 

“It was a favorite of my mother’s. She loved Judy Holiday.” They’d watched it every year on her birthday. She had a dear friend who owned a movie theater and they would play it for her on the big screen. He used to sit next to her in the dark and watch her face light up at all her favorite moments. It had been years since he watched it. 

“Your mom just keeps getting cooler and cooler the more you describe her.” Rose was smiling softly at him and he had to look away. He nodded not ready to speak yet. She picked up the tape of _Born Yesterday_ and examined the cover. 

“I can put that one back if you want something else.” She told him. He shook his head. He really wanted to see it. 

“No. I’d like to watch it again.” She nodded, sliding the tape over to the register.

“Okay.” She began the transaction, plugging in the numbers on his membership card. She was quiet for a while. Hux wondered if he should break the silence. 

“Next month there’s a new Coen brothers movie coming out. It’s called _Fargo._ ” She blurted out. Her voice sounded different, the ease she usually had seemed to have gone. It was strange. 

“Oh really? That’s, um, that’s cool.” He nodded as he pulled his wallet out. She didn’t look at him, just stared at the register. 

“Yeah. It’s supposed to be like this murder mystery comedy or something. It looks good. Anyway. Would you want to go see it?” His head snapped up. Did she just ask him out? 

“Yes.” He blurted out. She smiled a little, it was a nervous small thing. Why was _she_ nervous? 

“Great! I think it’s out on the eighth. So we can go anytime after that.” She told him. He just nodded dumbly back. He handed her the money, not sure if it was enough. The transaction continued without a hitch so it must have been enough. 

“Okay that sounds good.” It sounded great. It sounded like the best thing that had happened to him in a long time. 

“Cool, cool, cool. Need anything else for your movie marathon? Popcorn maybe?” She grabbed a bag by the register and waved it in front of him inelegantly. 

“No, thanks.” He shook his head. She nodded and slipped the tapes in a plastic bag. She handed him the bag, and for a brief moment their fingers touched. Hux noticed the warmth of them before they quickly broke.

“Okay well that’s it. I’ll see you next Friday?” She asked. He wondered why. He was nothing if not consistent. 

“Yup. Night, Rose.” 

“Night, Hux.” He looked at her for a moment. It was the first time she called him by his name. 

****

When Hux got home he called Mitaka immediately. He felt a little like a teenage girl calling her best friend after her crush brushed past her in the hall. He really didn’t care. 

“She asked me to go see a movie with her.”

 _“I fucking told you!”_ Mitaka was insufferable when he gloated but Hux was too happy to really care.

“It’s not until next month and it was a friendly invitation. You’re reading too much into this.” Hux deflected. He could hear Mitaka sigh loudly on the other end.

_“Why are you so dumb?”_

“I’m not.” Hux insisted.

 _“Beg to differ.”_ Hux rolled his eyes.

“You’re insufferable.” He heard Mitaka chuckle.

 _“No. I’m right. And you find that insufferable. You love me. Be honest with yourself.”_ Unfortunately Mitaka was right. Hux loved him.

“I like you against my better judgement. All my self preservation instincts tell me to run but for some reason I stay.” Hux was smiling as he heard Mitaka’s laugh. 

_“It’s not that bad, you bastard. Can we move our dinner appointment up to brunch? I have a date tomorrow night.”_ Hux’s brows jumped in surprise. Mitaka usually took some time off between bad dates.

“A date? With whom?” Hux inquired.

 _“If it goes well I’ll tell you. Until then I reserve the right to have a little mystery.”_ Mitaka replied and that was the end of the enquiry. Mitaka always liked to keep his cards close to the chest.

“Alright. Brunch suits me fine.” Hux agreed. 

_“See you then.”_

“See you.” 

****

Hux cried harder that night than he had in years. Deep gasping sobs escaped him at an almost frightening volume. 

_A Taste of Honey_ made him achingly sad. It was a beautiful movie. The way it was shot was rather exquisite and he found himself transfixed by it. The ending was devastating. He wanted to call Mitaka, tell him they would be friends forever, that he loved him. He knew Mitaka would not really appreciate being woken up at three in the morning on a Saturday to a sobbing, slightly drunk, friend so he decided against it. 

If _A Taste of Honey_ hadn’t been bad enough _Born Yesterday_ laid him low. There was nothing particularly sad about the plot. He remembered it from his youth. It was light, funny, sweet, romantic. Seeing Judy Holiday smile reminded him so much of his mother that his tears started all over again. He sobbed through the scene where she played cards and silently wept through the scene where they walked through the Lincoln monument. He was crying so hard he couldn’t see the screen. 

He had to admit it was a good cry. He needed it. He needed the release. Long after the movie ended he sat in the dark of his apartment and let himself cry for a little bit longer. 

****

The clang of the doorbell barely registered with Hux. It wasn’t that loud especially compared to the city outside. Maybe a cowbell was necessary and not some anachronistic statement. Not just a quirk for quirkinesses sake. 

Rose was out on the floor, crouched down in front of the “New Releases” rack. She was replacing the covers of returned tapes, lining them up with care. She wore black jeans with a light blue cropped sweater. Her hair flowed down her back, half of it contained in a small clip. It looked nice. She looked really, really nice. Hux wanted to tell her but he refrained. 

She stood abruptly and turned to face him. When she registered that it was him she smiled broadly, the dimple in her cheek appearing. 

“Hey, Hux!” She said as she made her way to the counter. He followed her like a lost dog.

“I think I hate you.” He blurted out. The look of shock and maybe hurt that crossed her face made him feel sick. Why was he such a fucking twat?

“What?” She asked.

“You made me cry.” He tried to explain. Realization dawned and she chuckled. The relief he felt almost knocked him over, such was the force. 

“Oh yeah. I told you _A Taste of Honey_ needs a chaser.” She dipped down below the counter and pulled out a black leather sack-like purse. He watched with mild fascination as she rifled through the void of it.

“I suppose I was warned.” He conceded. She nodded as she searched. With a sound of triumphant glee she pulled out a small pot with a yellow lid, red lettering emblazoned on top. He realized it was lip balm as soon as he smelled the slight medicinal scent of it. She took her ring finger and spread it across her lips. 

“My lips get so dry in this weather, ya know?” He just nodded, transfixed by her mouth. He made a Herculean effort to look away. 

“Hey, do you work at First Order?” She asked with no preamble. Hux was taken aback. 

“Yes. Why do you ask?” He felt a weird sense of panic. He wasn’t sure why. She threw her lip balm in her bag and shoved it back under the counter.

“I think you know my ex. Phasma? She’s hard to miss.” Her ex. Her ex, Phasma. Of course she was gay. Of course she was Phasma’s Rose. He remembered now. He had run into Phasma at some event after she had left First Order and she had told him about her sweet new girlfriend. She was a film student. She’d just made a documentary about women in the punk scene. It was all coming together. His heart sank a little. He felt like an ass.

“I know Phasma. I didn’t realize you were her girlfriend.” He hoped his disappointment didn’t read. He didn’t want her to think he was some asshole. 

“Ex.” She corrected him. He just nodded.

“Ex-girlfriend. Did you date long?” He tried to keep the conversation going. He felt deflated and he felt awful for feeling deflated. She couldn’t help being gay and she had no idea about his feelings for her. It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t his fault. It was no one's fault and for some reason that made him feel worse.

“Only a few months and well after she left the First Order. She works for the ACLU now.” She said cheerily. He nodded. He could feel the jealousy spike inside him. He hated that he felt jealous. 

“Yeah I heard that. Good for her.” He replied as smoothly as possible. He watched as Rose nodded her smile growing fond. She must have really liked Phasma.

“Yeah! I think she’s much happier. She’s a good lawyer.” Hux nodded his agreement. Phasma was an excellent lawyer. She knew the law inside and out and she could argue anyone under a table. She had been underutilized and under appreciated at First Order. 

“Yeah she was always the smartest one on the team.” He admitted. Rose smiled at him and they were quiet for a minute. It was awkward. Hux felt like absolute shit. Rose seemed like she wanted to say something but she didn’t.

“I have another movie for you if you want it.” She announced abruptly. It seemed like she felt the shift in their conversation as well. He kicked himself.

“Yeah, sure.” He tried to sound excited. He didn’t. 

“Do you like Denzel Washington?” She asked as she pulled a tape out from beneath the counter.

“Sure. He’s a good actor.” He’d seen him in a few things. He thought he was really good in _Malcolm X_ and _Mo Better Blues_. He forgot how much he liked Spike Lee movies. 

“He’s the best actor on the planet.” Rose corrected. He shook his head and chuckled a little.

“Okay.” He replied. Rose looked at him for a minute, like she was searching for something. She didn’t find it. 

“Well he’s in this one. It’s called _Mississippi Masala._ It’s really good. Another female director.” She said tapping the cover of the VHS. He looked down at a smiling Denzel, his arms wrapped around a very pretty Indian-American actress. They made a nice couple. 

“Okay, sounds good.” He mumbled as he reached for his membership card. He pulled it out of his pocket along with cash for the video.

“Everything okay?” Rose asked him. He looked up abruptly, brows furrowed and a frown creasing his face.

“Yeah, no, it’s fine.” He replied. He hoped he sounded believable.

“You sure?” Apparently he wasn’t so convincing. 

“Yeah, I’m sure.” He replied with a smile. It must have been a good one because she looked a little relieved. That semester of theater had paid off.

“Okay.” She finished up the transaction and slipped the VHSs in a bag and handed if to him. Their fingers didn’t brush. 

“I hope you have a good week. I’ll see you next Friday?” She asked, a hopeful lilt in her voice. 

“Of course.” And he meant it.

****

_Mississippi Masala_ was good. It was much deeper than the blurb on the cover would imply and Hux found himself thinking about it long after the film was over. It helped that Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury were two halves of the most beautiful couple ever committed to film. Though that part made him kind of ache. To see them in love, to see their chemistry sizzle on screen, was like seeing what could have been. He still felt the sting of rejection from Rose and he hated himself for it.

That night he dreamt of Denzel Washington and Rose sitting together on a park bench somewhere in Biloxi, Mississippi. They were both talking and laughing. He walked up to them to hear what their conversation was about. They turned to him and told him it was none of his business. He had to agree.

****

Hux ordered two cups of coffee before he even sat down. His head was pounding. He finished the bottle of good stuff he had bought yesterday in a fit of gross self-pity. He had never felt more pathetic in all his life and that was saying something. He was a committed sad-sack, being pathetic was part of the job description. When he rose that morning with a hangover to end all hangovers he cursed his former self for agreeing to brunch with Mitaka. But he dutifully took his Alka seltzer and a long hot shower and walked to the restaurant a few blocks over. 

“What happened to you?” Mitaka asked as he took in Hux’s rumy eyes and sour expression.

“I’m an ass.” Hux replied as he flopped into the chair opposite Mitaka. 

“I know. What is it this time?” Mitaka took a long sip of his coffee, eyes pining Hux as he waited patiently for an answer. 

“She’s gay.” Might as well cut to the chase. Mitaka’s brows shot up in surprise.

“What?” 

“Video Girl. Rose. She’s gay.” Hux’s explained. 

“Did she tell you that?” Mitaka asked, he looked sceptical. 

“Yes. She’s Phasma’s ex.” Hux replied. Mitaka’s brows shot up even further. He laughed a little.

“Video Girl is Phasma’s ex? God for such a big city it’s a small fucking world.” Mitaka took another sip of his coffee. 

“Tell me about it.” Hux replied with a dark chuckle. 

“I’ve met her, your Video Girl. Twice, I think. She was very pretty in her black dress and combat boots. Wouldn’t have pegged her for your type but she’s very cute. Also she’s not gay.” Mitaka announced with no preamble. Hux was aware that Phasma and Mitaka traveled in the same circles but it was a surprise to him that Mitaka knew Rose. It was even more surprising that Mitaka was so well acquainted with Rose’s sexuality. 

The waiter came to the table just then, asking for their order. Mitaka ordered a western omelet with a side of raisin bread toast like a heathen. Hux ordered a spinach omelette and croissant like a civilized human being though he barely registered any of it. His mind was still reeling.

“What do you mean she’s not gay?” He asked as soon as the waiter left the table. 

“I mean she is but not all the way. She’s bisexual. Ya know? Plays for both teams, if you will.” Mitaka said breezily like it was no big deal. Hux supposed in another circumstance it wouldn’t be such a revelation but to him it meant everything.

“She is?” He needed to hear it again.

“Yup. I remember her saying something about it at that film screening I met her at. I think it was her documentary. It was actually very good if I remember correctly.” Mitaka replied almost wistfully. Hux supposed one would remember a good student film fondly, they didn’t happen often. 

“What does this mean?” Hux asked mostly to Mitaka and somewhat to himself. Mitaka let out a long exacerbated sigh, eyes rolling dramatically to really punctuate the expression. 

“It’s not that hard to wrap your head around, Armie. She likes men and women. And everyone in between I expect. She seems like a very open person.” Mitaka spoke slowly as if he were talking to a child. Hux wanted to smack him but there were too many witnesses. 

“I know what bisexual means, you ass.” He ground out between clenched teeth. Mitaka threw his hands up in defense.

“Okay! I wasn’t sure.” Mitaka looked somewhat apologetic but Hux could see laughter behind his eyes. 

“I meant, what does this _mean_ about us? About our date?” Hux pressed forward. He desperately needed reassurance. Mitaka was not in the mood to provide it.

“Christ, Armie! It’s just a fucking date. She asked you on a date. A _romantic_ date. She likes you! She thinks you're cute! She wants to do the horizontal tango with you! Does she need to get a billboard or something?” He sounded tired. To be fair, Hux was too. But at the moment he was more embarrassed than anything. Mitaka had gotten rather animated and his voice had risen causing some of the other patrons to turn and stare at them. 

“Will you keep your voice down?” Hux hissed at him. 

“Come off it. I say what I want.” Mitaka replied, undaunted.

“At least have pity on my aching head.” He pleaded.

“Fine. Just this once.” Mitaka conceded. The waiter finally came with the first of Hux’s coffees and he took it greedily, happy to have the caffeinated beverage in his hot little hands. They sat in silence for a bit as Hux practically downed the coffee.

If Rose wasn’t gay and she truly asked him out the only question that remained was why? Why him? Rose was funny and infinitely cool. Much cooler than him. She liked _the Slits_ and she made documentaries about punks and he couldn’t listen to music like that for too long without walking away with a headache. He was a suit. Didn’t punks hate suits? And lord knows he wasn’t very attractive. Who would think a ginger beanpole was hot?

“Do you think I’m cute?” Hux asked Mitaka after awhile. Mitaka made a face.

“Where the hell is this coming from?” He asked.

“I just, it’s hard for me to understand why she would like me.” Hux admitted. Mitaka gave him a sad look. Hux hated it.

“It’s really not that hard, Armie.” He replied, reaching a hand out to pat Hux’s. It reminded Hux of his Gran. 

“Just humor me. Am I cute?” Hux asked again. Mitaka made a face, again.

“I don’t really want to answer that.” Mitaka’s tone was pleading. Hux paid it no mind.

“Please, I won’t read into it or anything. I just need an objective opinion.” He begged. Mitaka sighed.

“Fine. You’re cute. You’re very cute. You happy?” The tone of Mitaka’s voice didn’t inspire confidence.

“You’re not just saying that?” Hux asked. Mitaka shook his head

“No. Objectively speaking you are a very handsome man.” He replied seriously. Hux sort of believed him.

“Thank you?” Hux wasn’t used to compliments and they made him uneasy. He felt that uneasiness now even though he solicited this one. 

“You wanted my opinion!” Mitaka said with an exercerabted shout. People turned to them again. Hux tried to soothe his friend’s irritation. 

“I know. I know. I appreciate it. For what it’s worth you’re very cute as well.” It was the truth. Hux thought Mitaka was rather cute. It always perplexed him that he had such a hard time finding a good boyfriend. 

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.” Mitaka replied with a smile and a nod.

The waiter came with their breakfasts. Mitaka grinned as he doused his omelette in hot sauce. Hux was repulsed but he kept his thoughts to himself.

“So tonight’s date two. Are you going to tell me about him?” Hux asked as he took a bite of his omelette. Mitaka shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips. 

“No. I don’t want to jinx it. I like him a lot.” Hux noticed Mitaka’s cheeks had colored a bit. Hux smiled. 

“Where did you meet?” Hux asked before he took another bite of his omelette. He was happy to find that the more he ate the closer he felt to becoming a full fledged human being.

“Phasma actually introduced us.” Mitaka explained in between bites. 

“You still keep in touch?” Hux asked.

“We gays stick together.” Mitaka joked. Hux chuckled a little but wasn’t sure if he was supposed to. Mitaka didn’t seem upset by it so he continued shoveling food into his mouth.

“Is she happy at the ACLU?” Hux asked when he finally came up for air.

“Very.” Mitaka said with a firm nod. 

“God, I’m jealous.” Hux admitted. He would do anything to have a job that was as fulfilling as that, instead of shilling for corporations and receiving no recognition for the hard work he did. Anything but quit, apparently.

“You could leave too, you know.” Mitaka said to him without looking up from his plate.

“I know.” Somewhere in the back of his mind Hux knew he could find another job with relative ease but something held him back.

“Then why don’t you?” Mitaka asked as he sat back in his chair and munched on his raisin bread.

“I’m comfortable.” Hux admitted. He supposed it was the truth. Most of it, anyway. Mitaka laughed at him.

“You’re not comfortable, Armie. You’re scared.” He said, punctuating his statement with a bite into his toast. Hux had a sneaking suspicion that Mitaka was right. But he wasn’t really ready to admit that out loud. For right now that revelation would live somewhere in his consciousness waiting for future examination. 

“What’s keeping _you_ there?” Hux deflected. Mitaka looked up and sighed. 

“You.” He replied.

“Really?” Hux asked.

“Really.” Mitaka nodded. Hux felt his chest tighten at Mitaka’s words. 

“Thanks. You’re too good to me.” Mitaka waved his hand dismissively but Hux could see the warmth in his eyes.

“I know. Unfortunately I love you dearly and can’t leave you to fend for yourself. You're like a sad little kitten in that way.” Hux cackled at that. Mitaka smiled at him, clearly pleased with his little joke. 

“You really know how to ruin a moment.” Hux said between laughs. 

“It’s a gift.” Mitaka replied with a little bow. The rest of their brunch went on in this way, both pleased beyond reason to be in each other’s company. 

****

Hux always returned his tapes the next day. He would rather die than pay the late fee. Rose was never there on Saturdays. He assumed it was her day off. Usually a blue-haired girl named Kay would take them back for him. 

Hux was a little afraid of Kay, she had one of those faces that always looked like she was a little bit pissed off. It wasn’t her fault, Hux supposed, but her terse replies didn’t help matters. And she had a tendency to wear clothes with spikes which added to her prickly demeanor. He supposed the outfit and the attitude communicated something that she didn’t wish to say in so many words: leave me the fuck alone.

Today Kay sat at the counter reading a magazine, her blue hair in two buns on top of her head. She had black lipstick on, or maybe it was dark purple. She wasn’t wearing anything with spikes today but the leather jacket she wore said enough. She smacked on some gum and didn’t look up when the cowbell rang. He walked up to the counter as he usually did and placed his tapes down as gently as possible as not to startle her. She glanced up and let out a long sigh as she pushed her magazine aside. She took his tapes and his membership card and trudged over to the register so she could check them in.

“Did you rewind them?” She asked in a monotone voice, without looking up.

“I did.” She didn’t say anything in response just kept plugging in numbers. She looked at his membership card and looked up at him and smiled. He was a little startled, she never smiled. 

“So you’re Hux,” she said as she looked him up and down. “I can see it.”

“See what?” She didn’t answer, she just bent down and grabbed a dark purple backpack from under the counter. She then proceeded to dump it’s contents on the counter. All manner of things fell out: various tubes of lipstick, hair scrunchies, loose pieces of gum, a lot of tampons, a shocking number of condoms, loose pieces of paper, and receipts. So many receipts.

She fished out a little leather bound journal that had post-it notes sticking out from every which way. He wondered how anyone could live like this but, by the look of it, Kay was doing just fine. She opened the journal and rapidly flipped through page after page of hastily written out notes and strange doodles. She found the page she was looking for and extracted a neon orange post-it note with a little _aha!_ of triumph. 

“Here you go,” she said as she handed him the post-it. He took it gingery from her proffered fingers, careful not to touch her. Kay did not seem like a woman who wanted to be touched. 

“What is this?” He asked as he examined the note. 

“Rose’s number.” Hux looked up at Kay. She was grinning as she watched him.

“Really?” He asked with a bit of surprise and, to his great shame, wonder. Kay just rolled her eyes and grinned wider.

“God, you two are perfect for each other.” She said. 

“Uhm, thanks.” He replied as he placed the post-it safely in his wallet. 

“No problem.” She said nonchalantly as she returned to the register, leaving the contents of her backpack on the counter. 

“Should I call her?” He asked nervously. Kay looked up at him, brow quirked.

“That would be the purpose of the phone number.” She answered, gesturing to his wallet. He nodded foolishly. 

“Yes, of course. I just, uh, should I call her tonight?” She just shrugged. 

“Sure, go for it, buddy.” She still wasn’t looking at him just plugging away, focused on the transaction.

“What should I say?” He asked. She let out a sigh and looked up at him.

“How the fuck should I know?” Her voice was terse and agitated. The Kay he knew had come back. She might as well have been wearing spikes.

“Sorry, you’re right.” He tried to sound apologetic, deferring to the alpha in the situation. She seemed slightly appeased. 

“Listen. She likes you. Just talk to her, that should be good enough.” _She likes you_. Hearing that from Kay made his heart skip a beat. Mitaka would be furious to know it took Kay saying it for Hux to get it through his thick skull. Better late than ever. 

“Thanks, Kay.” He said with a smile. She smiled back, it was a nice smile.

“You’re welcome. Now please leave. Your vibe is scaring away the other customers.” She said as she handed him his membership card. He chuckled and waved goodbye. 

****

Hux sat at the breakfast bar in his kitchen staring at his phone for what felt like hours. He had decided that calling Rose immediately after his trip to _Resistance Video_ was too much. He didn’t want to seem too overeager. So he waited, impatiently, for a few hours to call. Now that the arbitrary hour had arrived Hux found that his confidence had waned and he was left to stare at his phone, an impromptu nemesis, for minutes at a time contemplating his next move. Part of him wanted to just call her, to hear her voice, to chat. The other wanted to run, flee, start a new life upstate in a cabin with no phone service. Maybe he could learn to live off the land, raise some goats or something. He hated goats, though. He didn’t like their human-like teeth. 

_She likes you._ The thought came unbidden but it was not unwelcome. She liked him. She liked him enough to invite him to the movies, to hold tapes for him, to tease him, to laugh at his pathetic little jokes. She liked him. And, god, did he like her. 

All of a sudden he reached for the phone and dialed the numbers on the post-it note that Kay had given him. The phone rang. And rang. And rang. 

_“Hello you’ve reached Rose Tico. Soon there will be a beep. Either speak after or don’t. I will either respond or I won’t. Such is life.”_ He chuckled a little at her answering machine, it felt very _her_. 

The beep sounded and he felt his chest constrict with anxiety. _Shit shit shit_.

“Uhh, Hello Rose, this is Hux from the video store. You might also know me by my code name, 007. Kay gave me your number and I just...um-“ He heard a commotion on the other end and then Rose’s voice.

 _“Hi, hi, hello, Hux? Hi, sorry I had my hands full.”_ She sounded a little out of breath. 

“Oh hi! Um, no worries, I just was letting you know Kay gave me your number, I guess.” God, he sounded stupid.

 _“Oh great! I’m glad she did. I felt like a dummy not giving it to you earlier.”_ She laughed nervously. 

“That’s okay. Probably felt odd.”

_“Just a little.”_

“So, um, how was your day?” He smacked his head against the wall. He sounded like a goddamn idiot.

 _“Good! It’s one of my days off so that’s always nice though I did have some paper writing to do.”_

“Oh? What for?” Hux asked.

“ _Oh, I’m getting my masters in film theory and media studies.”_ Funny, beautiful, smart. The list of Rose’s attributes kept growing.

“Really? That’s great.”

 _“Thanks! I’m glad you think so. My parents are less thrilled but, hey, you can’t win them all.”_ He wanted to tell her that her parents could go fuck themselves for all he cared but most people didn’t respond to statements like that well. Most people loved both of their parents, not just one.

“I’m sure they mean well.” He ventured. 

_“Oh, they do. The film industry isn’t necessarily a stable career, though I think I’m more interested in teaching.”_ She replied good naturedly.

“That’s great. You’d be good at that.” 

_“Thanks! I’d like to think I would be too.”_

“You will be. No doubt about it. I’m learning quite a bit under your tutelage.” He joked, or at least attempted to. He had broken out into a full body sweat at this point and he was pretty sure he had hives. Joking seemed out of the realm of possibility.

“ _Tutelage. Aren’t we fancy?”_ She chuckled. Success! He tried another. 

“I like to use $5 words whenever I can. Keeps the mind sharp.” She laughed harder at that one. 

_“I’m sure it does.”_ Her voice sounded soft, fond even. It made his heart skip.

“Would you like to go out tonight?” He blurted out like a man possessed. 

“ _Oh, uh, yeah! That would be great!”_ She sounded excited, he felt faint. 

“Really?” He asked. 

_“Really.”_ She answered, firmly. 

“Oh great. Uhm, where would you like to go?” 

_“They’re playing ‘The Thing’ at that old theater a few blocks down from Resistance Video. I was going to go alone but I would be more than happy to go with you._ ” Hux hated horror movies. Well he didn’t hate them he just was a massive coward when it came to anything remotely scary but that wouldn’t stop him tonight.

“That sounds good.” 

“ _Great! It’s playing at seven_.” 

“Seven sounds great.” It sounded fantastic. It sounded like the best time of day. He wanted to tell her that seven was now his favorite number because she had uttered it. He wanted to die as well. Just keel over and expire. 

“ _Oh shit! I totally forgot. I’m supposed to meet up with my friend for drinks tonight. He wants me to meet his new boyfriend.”_ Everything came to a halt. He hated seven, now. It was a shitty number and it fucking sucked and everything was terrible and he wanted to die. Just keel over and expire. 

“Oh, okay.” He tried not to sound disappointed. He failed.

 _“I still want to see you, though. Would you want to go with me?”_ Hux had whiplash from how fast his emotions turned around. He wanted to jump up and down with glee.

“Yeah, sure, that’s fine.” He attempted a cool aloof tone. He failed.

“ _Really? Oh you’re amazing. So ‘The Thing’ and drinks?”_ _He’s amazing_. He felt his heart constrict and a blush bloom on his cheeks.

“Yes. Meet you there?” He asked. 

“ _Meet you there.”_ Rose agreed. There was a long pause and then she said. _“Thanks for calling Hux, it was nice hearing from you.”_ She sounded so sincere, so very sweet. He would replay those words in his head from here to eternity. 

“Anytime.” 

_“Well, goodbye then.”_ She sounded reluctant to leave. 

“Goodbye.” He was too. 

****

Hux sat in silence for a moment processing all that had transpired. He had a date. A real, honest to god, romantic date with Rose. Rose had agreed to go on a date with _him_. Him! Oh god. He was in over his head. He picked up the phone again and dialed Mitaka’s number at light speed.

“ _Hello, this is Dopheld speaking how can I help you?”_ Mitaka answered in a sing-song voice. Hux knew this was a fiction put on for his benefit. Mitaka knew very well who it was.

“Mitaka, it’s me.” 

“Sorry I think you have the wrong number. There is no one who goes just by _Mitaka_ at this residence.” Hux groaned.

“Why are you like this?” He asked, somewhat serious.

 _“Why are_ **_you_ ** _like this?”_ Mitaka countered. He ignored the question. 

“Mitaka, I need your advice.” 

_“On what, my sweet?”_

“I asked Rose out.” Mitaka let out a noise that was half way between a shriek and a laugh.

 _“No shit!”_ He practically shouted.

“Yes shit.”

 _“When?”_ Mitaka asked.

“Tonight.”

 _“Look at you! My boy is all grown up. It feels like yesterday I was helping you take your first steps.”_ His tone was mockingly wistful. Hux rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the smile that came to his face.

“You’re the actual worst.” He replied.

 _“Then why did you call me?”_ Mitaka asked.

“I don’t know what to wear?” Hux heard Mitaka huff on the other end.

_“You’re a big boy, you can figure it out.”_

“I don’t know.” 

_“What do you usually wear on dates?”_ Mitaka asked.

“A suit.” Hux replied honestly. Granted it had been awhile since his last date.

“ _Yeah that won’t work with Miss Rose.”_

“Exactly my point.”

 _“What about that Talking Heads t-shirt you have. That’s probably the coolest thing you own.”_ He was brilliant! That concert t-shirt from their ‘83 London show was definitely the coolest thing Hux owned. His affinity for the Talking Heads was also the coolest thing about him. He had his mother to name for that. She took him to the show when he was all but seventeen. It was one of the best nights of his life.

“That’s not a bad idea.” Hux agreed.

 _“You realize calling me for fashion advice borders on a hate crime.”_ Mitaka said, his tone teasing. Didn’t stop Hux from feeling a little shit about calling him. 

“Shit. I’m sorry Mitaka. Consider it a compliment.” He ventured. Mitaka chuckled.

_“I do. That’s why we are still friends.”_

“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Hux said as he stood, getting ready to end the phone call.

 _“While I’m here may I suggest you do something with your hair?”_ His hair? 

“What’s wrong with my hair?” Hux protested.

 _“Don’t gel it down within an inch of its life. Let it be. You have good hair.”_ Absentmindedly Hux lifted his hand to his over gelled hair. He’d have to take a shower.

“I do?” He asked. He never liked it much. He used to get teased for it in school.

 _“You do. Let it be. For this date and for the rest of your life.”_ Mitaka replied definitively.

“Okay.” Hux acquiesced. 

_“You’re welcome.”_

“Thank you, oh wise one.” Hux said with faux reverence. Mitaka chuckled.

 _“Have fun. Practice safe sex. Treat her nice.”_ Mitaka instructed. Hux groaned into the receiver. 

“Is this a PSA?” He asked.

_“Sure. The more you know.”_

****

Hux stood in front of the theater, palms sweating, and hair dangling in front of his eyes. He pushed it back but it just flopped forward, back into its original position. This is why he slicked it back, his hair was straight but unruly. Every time he let it fly free he regretted it instantly. Everything in front of him was bisected by strands of copper hair. 

“Hux?” He heard behind him, he practically jumped out of his skin as he turned to face Rose. 

She looked beautiful. Her hair was down around her and she wore a black velvet dress under her peacoat. It was nice, it had a little lace collar and large white buttons. It looked old fashioned, it reminded him of something his mother would have worn when she first met his father. On Rose it looked nice, new, fresh. 

“You look beautiful.” He blurted out. She smiled, a pretty blush coloring her cheeks.

“Oh this old thing? I bought it this morning.” She did a little twirl. He chuckled at her joke.

“It suits you.” 

“Thanks! It actually is an old thing. I think it’s from the 60s.” She picked at the hem like it would tell her. 

“It’s nice.”

“I like your shirt. Didn’t think you were a _Talking Heads_ fan.” She leant forward, examining the design. 

“Yeah, it’s an anomaly.” She laughed as she reached into her coat pocket, extracting two tickets.

“I bought the tickets this morning so we can go in whenever.” 

“Oh! Let me pay you back.” He made for his wallet and she wacked him gently in the arm, stopping his movements.

“It’s the 90s I can pay for us.” She smiled at him but there was a bit of a challenging edge to it.

“Oh sorry.” He stuttered. 

“I’m not insulted. You can buy me a drink later. How about that?” She offered. He nodded.

“Okay.”

“Let’s go.” She took his hand and slipped her fingers in between his as she led them into the theater. The warmth of her fingers in his went straight to his cold heart. Now that he thought about it, it wasn’t so cold anymore.

They sat in the middle of the theater, surrounded by dozens of people but Hux felt like they were the only ones there. There was something strangely intimate about movie theaters. Maybe it was the dark or the cushioned seats. Or maybe it was the silence that fell over a crowd when the projector started to whir, like the silence after a snowfall. Maybe just the act of watching a film was somehow insulating, sheltering you from the outside world for two blissful hours.

“Have you seen _The Thing_ before?” She asked, her hand still in his. 

“Yeah.” He had seen it when he was a teenager with some school friends. He had pretended to be unaffected by it at the time but deep down the premise had truly terrified him.

“Did you like it?” She asked.

“It’s been awhile but I think so.” He looked at her, at the soft smile on her face. Unconsciously they had moved closer and closer, foreheads nearly touching.

“It’s a good one. It’s one of those that makes me scared even though I know what’s going to happen.” She squirmed in her seat a little and smiled wider. This close he could see the light freckles that ran across her nose and the little clumps of mascara on her eyelashes.

“I’m a bit of wimp when it comes to horror so I was hoping you would get me through this.” He confessed. She frowned a little. 

“Shit. Well one of us has to be brave.” She quipped. He chuckled. 

“Maybe we can get through this together.” He ventured. 

“Maybe if you keep holding my hand I’ll feel a little bit better.” She lifted their joined hands and he nodded, a smile permanently etched on his face. 

“I can do that.” He agreed. 

“And maybe if you kiss me I might feel a bit better.” Her expression was still warm and soft but there was an expectation there, a challenge. 

“I can do that too.” And as the lights dimmed around them, Hux leaned over to do what he had been dying to do since he first saw her. 

****

Rose didn’t really watch the movie. Sure she saw snippets of it here and there but she mostly watched Hux. She watched the way his green eyes lit up as the movie played out on the screen, the way his beautiful ginger hair flopped over his forehead and dangled in front of his eyes. She watched as his hand, with its long delicate fingers, brushed the strands back. She watched him and not a second of the movie. And she kissed him, too. She felt like a teenager, making out in a movie theater. It was tamer than her exploits in the past. Less heavy petting. They were adults, for Christ sake. 

Rose had been pretty sure she would kiss him at some point during the night but after she saw him with his hair all disheveled and not in one of his lawyer suits she knew she couldn’t wait until after the movie was over. She needed a little taste. And she got just what she wanted and a little bit more. 

Hux was a good kisser. He had just the right amount of bite. He didn’t go too heavy on the tongue, just enough to keep her going and make her panties a little damp. His beautiful long fingers carded through her hair and traced down the column of her neck, making her shiver. He pulled back.

“Are you cold?” He whispered.

“No.” She answered as she pulled him back in for another kiss. 

She didn’t really expect him to go for the neck but he did, tracing his tongue down the path that his fingers had made. It took every bit of self control not to moan at the feel. She tugged a little bit on his soft hair and she couldn’t really remember if it was to make him stop or beg him to keep going. He kept going just for a bit, pulling away only when the score started to swell.

“We’re missing the movie.” He whispered. She could see he was smiling a bit. 

“We’ve seen it before.” She reminded him. He smiled wider as he leaned in again. 

“You’re very smart.” He whispered against the skin of her neck. 

“Mhmm.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. She wanted just a little bit more before the movie ended and the lights went up. She thought about just skipping drinks with Finn and his mystery man and taking Hux back to her apartment, or his, she wasn’t picky. But she said she would be there and she was a good friend. 

They pulled away and sat back in their seats as the final scene played out, hands still intertwined. She snuck glances at Hux, watching as he watched her. And for the first time in a long time she felt incandescently happy.

****

Rose led them to the bar just a few blocks away. It was called the _Cantina_. It was mostly drinks but they had chips and salsa and some other Mexican style appetizers. They were always playing 40s style big band music which was a little anachronistic but it was one of the things she liked about the place. It wasn’t her favorite bar in the world but it was centrally located and never overly crowded. 

She guided Hux through the small crowd, hands still intertwined as they weaved in and out of people. It was as if their hands had become glued together, never to part again. Rose was okay with that development. They made it to the bar and Rose ordered a margarita. Hux did too. She looked at him, surprised. He shrugged.

“When in Rome.” He said. She chuckled and let him pay for the drinks while she sought out Finn. She stood on her tiptoes trying to see above the heads of the patrons to no avail. 

“I wish I was a giant like you.” She said to Hux without looking. 

“A giant?” He asked. She could hear the smile in his voice. She grinned.

“Don’t sound so offended. Everyone is a giant compared to me.” She gestured to her tiny stature with a sweep of her arms. 

“I suppose so. I don’t really remember what it’s like to be so short. The last time I was your size I was eight.” He teased, his breath tickling her ear. 

“Hardy-har-har.”

“You started it.” He countered. 

“I’ll let you live. But you’re only getting away with this on a technicality.” He laughed and she couldn’t wipe the smile from her own face. She really liked making him laugh.

“I’ll remember that for next time.” He replied. Just then she spotted Finn.

“Aha! There they are. Oooh! He’s cute!”

Rose saw them walking in. Finn looked nice in a smart button up, he must have dressed to impress for his date. The man with him was small and thin with a sweet face and short dark hair. He looked like a very handsome and strong jawed sprite. He could have played Puck in _Midsummer Night’s Dream_.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Hux said behind her.

“What?” She turned to look at him but he was smiling from ear to ear and staring at Finn’s date. 

“How is it that there is 7 million people in this fucking city and I always end up with you?” Hux asked Finn’s boyfriend.

“This is getting eerie. Are you stalking me?” He replied with a matching smile. 

“Shut up, asshole.” Hux said as he hugged the man. 

“Well this is surprising.” Finn said to Rose. She shook her head and laughed a little as she watched the two of them. 

“Sorry, Rose. This is Mitaka. He’s, uh, well he’s my best friend.” Hux was smiling wide with his arm slung around the dark haired man beside him. Finn’s date looked up at Hux with a mixture of annoyance and deep affection. It was an oddly touching scene. 

“Nice to meet you, Mitaka.” Rose said as she stuck out her hand for him to shake. He took it and shook it firmly. 

“It’s Dopheld, really. He’s the freak who calls everyone by their last name.” Dopheld replied, gesturing to Hux. Rose laughed. 

“Nice to meet you, just the same.” 

“Hux this is Finn.” Rose introduced the two, they gave each other a nod of knowing recognition. 

“We’ve met. Nice to see you Hux. Or should I call you Armie?” Finn asked. Rose looked at Hux with a raised brow. He was blushing.

“That’s what Mitaka calls me. Short for Armitage.” He explained. 

“Armie? I like it.” Rose replied.

“You can call me that if you’d like.” She smiled and nodded. Rose wanted to kiss him again. 

“I’d like that a lot.” She told him. Armie smiled and slid his hand in hers, again. She reveled in the warmth of his touch. 

“Nice shirt, by the way.” Finn said, gesturing to Hux’s t-shirt. 

“Thank you.” Dopheld replied before Armie had a chance. Armie laughed.

“Mitaka picked it out.” He explained. 

“And here I thought you dressed yourself.” Rose teased. Armie blushed.

“Most of the time I do.” He replied.

“Well you did a good job Dopheld. He looks good.” Finn said, grinning at Dopheld who smiled back. They were really cute together. 

“Thank you, darling.” Dopheld replied as he gave Finn a kiss on the cheek. 

“I had something to do with this!” Armie protested as he gestured to himself.

“Sure you did.” Dopheld rolled his eyes. Finn and Rose giggled. 

“I brought the natural good looks, _you_ just dressed me up.” Armie said as he did a little spin showing off his _natural good looks._ Rose had to admit he was very handsome.

“The presentation is half the battle. I deserve some credit.” Dopheld pressed further. Armie threw up his hands in defeat. It looked like their arguments often ended in a similar fashion. 

“Fine, I’ll concede.”

“If it makes you feel any better, Armie. I always thought you looked very nice.” Finn said with a smile. 

“Thank you, Finn.” Armie replied. Dopheld turned to Finn with a look of mock betrayal. 

“Whose date are you, anyway?” He asked. 

“What? He’s cute. I’m not blind.” Finn said gesturing to Armie.

“Keep your eyes on your own date!” Rose shouted, jumping in front of Armie trying to shield him from Finn’s wandering eye. 

“Yeah! If you don’t I’m running away with Rose and we will leave you two in the dust.” Dopheld grabbed Rose’s hand and made like he was going to leave. They burst out in giggles. Rose liked him already. 

“I only have eyes for you.” Finn said to Dopheld as he gave him a peck on the lips. 

“Good answer.” Dopheld said with a laugh. 

“Let’s go get some margaritas before the bar gets too swamped.” Finn suggested. 

“Sounds good to me!” Rose replied as she downed the rest of hers. 

****

Rose couldn’t remember who suggested it but they ended up at Armie’s place. As soon as they were out of Finn and Dopheld’s sight they were on each other like teenagers, again. Their kisses were heated and sloppy but they managed to walk briskly to his building. They took the elevator even though he was on the second floor, they needed the opportunity to make out a little more. Every step down the hall was punctuated by aggressive kissing until they broke apart to move further and further toward his apartment. 

Armie unlocked his door with relative ease despite Rose’s many attempts to distract him. His urgency to get her inside, get her undressed, outweighed Rose’s fervent touches and hot kisses to the scant inches of his exposed skin. They tumbled in, lips pressed together and hands fisted into the fabric of each other’s coats, both attempting to rid the other of the offending garment to no avail. They were too distracted by the meeting of lips and hands on the other’s body to really focus on buttons and zippers. As Hux attacked a particularly sensitive spot on Rose’s neck she looked up to see crown molding and expensive furniture. Her eyes drifted to the ornate ceiling rose where an old chandelier hung.

“Damn, this is a nice apartment.” He nodded as he tried to recapture her lips with his own, eyes focused on her rather than the space around them. 

“Pre-war.” He mumbled into her skin. And all thoughts of pre-war architecture flew out of her head as she felt his hands slide down her neck to the buttons of her dress.

“They’re decorative.” She moaned as he bit at her flesh. She fumbled for the side zipper as she tried to remove it. Only then did she notice that she still had her coat on. She pushed it off as he walked her further and further through the apartment. His couch passed them by, his TV, his dining table all fell away as they inched closer and closer to their destination. They bumped into the doorway to his bedroom and only then did they break apart so he could pull his flannel shirt and his t-shirt over his head. Once the pale expanse of his chest was revealed to her Rose pounced, running her hands along the warm soft skin there. 

“Your turn,” he mumbled between increasingly frantic kisses. She nodded as she pulled her dress off, letting it hit the floor with a soft thud. She attempted to shimmy out of her tights as fast as she could. Alas, tights were not meant for quick removal and she tripped a little into his arms. He held her up as he bent down and ripped the offending garment in two. 

“I need those!” She protested a little but was appeased by the feel of his hands on her bare legs and an opened mouth kiss to her hip. 

“I’ll buy you more. A dozen more.” He said as he stood to his full height kissing her lips again. She just whimpered in response. 

By some miracle they made it to his bed. She fell back first. She barely had time to think before he was on top of her, cradled between her thighs. She could feel his cock hard against her clothed cunt but he moved away too quickly for her to grind against him. She was disappointed but not for long. Before she could even register what was happening he had dipped his fingers down her body and was running them along her slit. 

“Jesus, you have nice hands.” She moaned, as she felt those long fingers slide against the damp fabric of her underwear. 

“Yeah?” He was panting, seemingly as overcome as she was. He dipped his head to leave bruising kisses along her neck and collarbone, awaiting her answer. His fingers ran along her center, eliciting a soft cry from her lips. She wondered if he could feel how wet she was, how easy he would be able to slide right into her. 

“Uh huh. I always...oh fuck...I used to stare at them when you’d come in.” She barely got her words out, each one hitching on her labored breath. She wanted to tell him that she had imagined this all before, that when she was up late at night, frustrated and wanting, she thought only of his beautiful hands on her skin. 

“Can I take these off?” He asked as he tugged on her lacy underwear. She nodded frantically, wiggling her hips to make it easy for him.

“God, yes.” She moaned a little. He slipped his fingers in the waistband and yanked them down, roughly. She was a little afraid he would rip those too. He was so determined, so consumed with lust, he moved too quickly and roughly. It was exciting. 

“Okay.” He mumbled as he dipped his mouth back down capturing her lips in a sloppy kiss that was perhaps too much teeth but still so delicious. He slipped his fingers through her almost tentatively, gathering her moisture on his fingertips. Each pass of his fingers over her clit sent jolts of pleasure through her body. She was boneless under his touch. She could barely think, as it was, but her mind went completely blank when he slid two fingers inside her and _curled_ them.

“Fuck!” She gasped against his lips, her back arching. She pulled away from his mouth so she could suck in much needed air and gasp her pleasure into the open air of his bedroom. He let her be, kissing along her collarbone, grazing his teeth against her flesh. His fingers moved in and out of her roughly, fucking her with forceful thrusts that made her breath catch. His other hand palmed her breasts through the fabric of her bra. She thought about telling him to take that off too but she was too lost in pleasure to verbalize it.

Armie thumbed her clit making her cry out, her one had fisted in his hair the other gripping his shoulder. He kept up a punishing almost frantic pace like he was trying to win a race. Rose wasn’t sure what prize he expected when he reached the finish line but she could think of a few he deserved. She wanted to tell him he could slow down, take it easy, they had all night. But a part of her loved that he could barely contain his desire for her. She was so close and the roughness of his hands on her, his fingers inside of her, pushed her closer and closer to the edge. 

“Oh god! Armie, it feels so good.” Her voice was a high breathy whine, she didn’t even sound like herself. 

“God, Rose, you’re exquisite.” He grunted in her ear as he bit down on the lobe. That was all it took, the beautiful pain of his teeth on her sensitive skin and his clever fingers deep in her cunt, and she was coming with such force she thought she might lose her sense of time and space. Her body shook as pleasure took control of all her senses. She was only feeling for a few brief moments. Not a corporal form but a ball of pleasure made into a woman only by sheer force of will. A woman who desperately wanted Armitage Hux. 

“Good job.” She panted, her body motionless for a moment as she tried to catch her breath. He smiled a little and nodded, almost as breathless as she was. He stood at the edge of the bed before her, shirtless, flushed, with his jeans slung low on his hips. She sat up quickly, eyes never leaving his. She crawled forward and hooked a finger in one of his belt loops and pulled him toward her. He looked down at her, taking his clean hand and running it through her hair, attempting to smooth it away from her face. She smiled at him, kissing the space over his heart, she felt it beating beneath her lips. She reached out a hand and palmed him through his jeans making him hiss in pleasure. She made to undo his fly but he pulled away before she had a chance.

“Do you trust me?” He asked her. She quirked a brow, unsure what he meant by that. He looked earnest and excited like a little boy on Christmas morning. His green eyes were hopeful and his copper hair was a beautiful riot around his face making him look young and sweet, really lending credence to the power of boyish charm. She was helpless in the face of it, 

“Yes. I trust you, Armie.” She looked at him trying to convey how much she wanted him, all of him. He smiled wide and dipped his head a little, kissing her on the lips sweetly. She could feel the urgent energy behind it but he held it back just enough. 

“Would you turn around?” He asked. She smiled and nodded. She liked where this was going. She turned around on all fours, ass in the air, waiting for the inevitable and getting very excited by the prospect. If he was going to fuck her like this she was glad she had her bra on. It always hurt a little to have her breasts free and bouncing. Sure it was probably sexier to be fully naked but big breasts came with complications and sometimes it was best to keep them bound. No one needed to walk away from this with a black eye. 

Armie made his way to his night stand and pulled a condom out of the drawer. He glanced at her and she gave him a sweet smile as she stretched like a cat, sticking her ass further into the air. He groaned a little at the sight and made his way back to her with astounding haste. She felt rather than saw as he positioned himself behind her. She heard the sound of his fly unzipping and the sound of his jeans hitting the floor. She tried to turn and look at him but he grabbed her ass making her jump a little in surprise. 

“Sorry, love.” He mumbled. 

“It’s alright, I like it.” Rose replied. He moaned a little. She heard the condom wrapper break and a whispered _shite_ before she felt his hands on her hips again. His fingers held her with an almost painful force but she liked it. Sometimes it was nice being a little manhandled. He noticed his roughness and he soothed her skin with small caresses of his fingertips. She shivered at the sensation. He grabbed her hip once more and then he entered in one great thrust. 

“Oh god, Armie.” She groaned loudly, her head falling forward at the force. She hadn’t expected that, hadn’t really been prepared. He didn’t seem prepared for it either. 

“Christ, Rose, I’m...oh, god...I’m so sorry.” he was panting behind her. 

“It’s alright, baby, it’s good. Just give me a minute.” She was gasping. She didn’t really get a good look or feel before he entered but she could tell he was big. She was full, completely full. She wasn’t really sure if she knew where she ended and he began. It was a strange feeling but it felt kind of incredible. And, to be honest. a little uncomfortable. But mostly it felt really, really good.

“Alright, big boy, do your worst.” She looked over her shoulder and gave him a wink. His chest was flushed and looked slightly pained but he chuckled a little. He leaned forward and kissed her sweetly, pushing himself even further inside her making them both gasp a little. 

“I’m going to fuck you now.” He told her, no hint of humor in his voice. It still made her laugh a little. He began to thrust into her, slowly but hard and it made her moan. He had a magical way of hitting just the right spot every time and she could barely catch her breath fast enough. Her hair fell into her face and they weren’t on the same rhythm yet but she was enjoying herself immensely. She wanted to kiss him again. Blindly she stuck an arm out behind her, trying to draw him close. She felt him bend over her and slow down. He mouthed along her shoulder as he brought her body toward him.

“Kiss me, please.” She whimpered. He turned her face and kissed her hungrily, their lips slotting together almost awkwardly. It really didn’t matter, none of the weirdness mattered. She was so happy to finally be with him and she knew they had more chances to get this right. And they were doing pretty good as it was, getting it right wouldn’t be too difficult. 

They broke apart and he kissed her shoulder again as he pounded into her with more force and speed: He was getting close, she could tell by his moans and the reverent repetition of her name.

“Fingers, Armie. Help me, please!” She begged. She knew, distantly, that her words made barely any sense but he seemed to catch her meaning just fine. He was good like that. He slowed a little as he brought his hand around to rub her clit, sending jolts of pleasure through her body. She came again in a rush, eyes rolling back in her head as her breath caught in her throat. She was pretty sure she screamed his name but all sound was blocked out by pleasure. He came moments after with a groan and a deep hard thrust that almost made her come all over again. Damn he was good. He fell on her, heavy sated body crushing her a little. She laughed as she squirmed out from under him. 

“I’m sorry.” He moaned into the mattress, not looking at her.

“What for? I for one, had a good time.” She said as she sat up and stared at his back. It was a nice back, pale and dotted with freckles. Her eyes traveled down to the curve of his ass. That was even nicer than his back. 

“Really?” He asked as he turned his head to look at her.

“Didn’t you?” She asked him, reaching out to brush hair out of his eyes. He smiled at her.

“You were so incredible, Rose.” He replied earnestly, it made her chest feel tight. 

“You were too, Armie.” She leaned forward and gave him a sweet kiss.

“Now I have to pee.” She told him as she got up. He laughed a little. 

“Okay, the bathroom’s that way,” he pointed over his shoulder in the general direction of a door. She gave him a peck and then hopped up and made her way over to his pristine bathroom. It had the original tiling from the thirties, a beautiful jade green. The sink and clawfoot tub looked original as well. Even the light fixture was vintage. It was like stepping back in time. She wondered if he owned the place. Based on the location she was pretty sure that was the case. lawyers at the First Order made a lot of money. Most Faustian deals came with some financial perks. A voice that sounded suspiciously like her mother’s told her to ‘hold on to this one.’ 

Rose emerged a moment later to Armie lying on his back with his boxers on. He had his arm over his eyes, blocking out the light of the room. She wondered for a moment if he had fallen asleep already. But He perked up when he heard her emerge from the bathroom, sitting up and grabbing something from the other side of the bed.

“I don’t know if this will do, but I have this t-shirt for you to sleep in if you wanted to stay the night.” It was a large blue t-shirt with some sports team on it. She thought it said Chelsea FC but she couldn’t be sure. 

“Soccer?” She asked. 

“Football.” He corrected her. She held up her hands in mock defense.

“So sorry, good sir. How could I forget? Where you come from it is pronounced _football_.” She put on a faux accent and he chuckled, rolling his eyes.

“Very funny.” He replied as he attempted to smooth his hair back away from his face to little avail. She picked her underwear up off the floor. 

“Do you follow?” She asked as she slipped her underwear back on. 

“Not really but I used to.” He replied but he seemed distracted. His eyes were trained on her chest as she removed her bra, watching with rapt fascination. 

“It’s not a museum, you can touch, if you want.” She said with a laugh. He looked up at her and laughed a little too. 

“Sorry, you’re just so beautiful.” He reached out to her and pulled her close. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and she slotted in between them easily. 

“You’re too sweet.” She stroked his hair back and gave him a slow kiss. He pulled away grinning and ran his hands up her sides and around to her breasts. He cupped them and ran a thumb over her left nipple. She gasped.

“Is that a rose?” He asked as he peered at a tattoo on her inner arm. She looked down at the black outline of a rose that decorated the bicep of her left arm. 

“Yeah. My friend Rey gave it to me when we were seventeen. I wasn’t really that creative back then.” She remembered sitting in that dingy bathroom with a needle and ink while Rey diligently poked her skin. She had touched it up a little in college, had a real artist do it. 

“She did a good job. I like it.” Rose nodded and smiled. She let out a big yawn before she had a chance to stifle it. 

“Do you want to go to sleep?” Armie asked her.

“No I’ll be fine.” She wanted to go again, to maybe see him naked. He smiled softly at her and stroked her hair. 

“You look tired.” He was right. She had been up for awhile now and two very good orgasms left her feeling a little sleepy. He looked sleepy too. 

“Alright, you caught me. I wanted to fuck you again but I guess I’ll wait until morning.” She teased. He groaned.

“Don’t tempt me.” 

“I’ll put the t-shirt on so you won’t jump my bones.” He laughed again. She could spend the rest of her life making him laugh like that. He was so beautiful when he smiled big, it almost hurt to look at him. It was like looking into the sun. 

His t-shirt fell to mid-thigh on Rose and swallowed her small frame. She thought it was sweet that he found a shirt for her, that he wanted her to stay the night. It seemed anachronistic. When she had first seen him he was so serious, so stuffy, and now he was this soft creature who wanted to sleep beside her. She was glad that this was the man underneath the stiff suit and icy demeanor. 

Rose climbed on the bed and crawled over to the side he had left open for her. He reached for her, wrapping an arm around her waist and hauling her toward him. She yelped at the force of it, letting out a string of giggles as he kissed along her neck. When he finally released her she laid down beside him under the covers, turning to her side. 

“I like to be the big spoon, by the way.” She told him. Her desire to hold him was so strong it made her heart ache. He laughed. 

“How?” He gestured to her small body next to his long one. She frowned. 

“Don’t question it! Just accept it.” She made a twirling motion with her finger. He laughed but did as he was told.

“Alright. Goodnight.” He kissed her softly before turning over. 

“Goodnight.” She said as she kissed his bare shoulder. She wrapped her arms around his tightly. He held her arms to him, fingers tracing small patterns into the skin of her hands. They fell asleep quickly, bodies slotted perfectly together. 

****

Hux was afraid it was just a dream, that all that had transpired the night before was a figment of a very overactive imagination. He was terrified that he would open his eyes and find that the arms around him were just his sheets wrapped around his waist, and the heat on his back was just a powerful fantasy. He cracked his eyes open slowly, the morning light streaming in through his bedroom window, illuminating the room in a warm glow. He looked down to see two small, tanned, arms wrapped around his waist, just below his heart. He smiled at the sight of them and pulled them closer, earning a small gasp from Rose. 

“You’re up?” She asked over his shoulder. He turned to face her, smiling the whole while. She was beautiful, so incredibly exquisite it took his breath away. Well maybe not conventionally beautiful, there were dark smudges under her eyes where her mascara had rubbed off in sleep and her hair was a riot of tangled knots and there were creases in the flesh of her cheek from his pillow. But other than that she was incredible. 

“Good morning, love,” he said and made to kiss her but she stopped his mouth with a firm hand.

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t brush my teeth last night and my breath is...foul. Do you have a spare toothbrush?” She asked. He nodded and smiled, kissing her forehead instead. 

“I wouldn’t mind, you know.” He told her. She shook her head, her face overly serious. 

“You say that now but trust me, you would.” She sat up and flung her legs over the side of the bed. He sat up too, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

“I might as well brush mine while I’m at it.” He said as he made his way over to the bathroom.

“Couples who brush together, stay together.” Rose replied in a sing-songy voice. He stopped abruptly and looked at her for a long moment trying to understand what she just said.

“Is that what we are, a couple?” He asked. She tilted her head and looked at him. 

“We’re two people.” She told him. He frowned and shook his head.

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

“Do you want to be that? A couple.” She asked him, stepping closer. 

“Yes. If you would like to be. I mean I’m not seeing anyone else. You can if that’s something you want to do.” He wasn’t thrilled by the concept of her seeing other people. The thought of her out with someone else made him go a little crazy but he didn’t want to force her into anything either. She should have the option. 

“Thanks for the opportunity but I think I’m okay with just you.” She smiled wide at him, stepping closer and wrapping her arms around him.

“ _Just_ me?” He said with a raised brow. 

“Yup! From what I can tell you’re all the person I need. No other dates required.” She said, definitively. He groaned. He wanted to kiss her so bad.

“Go brush your teeth so I can kiss you again.” He squeezed her sides making her jump and giggle. 

“Alright! Tally ho! Or whatever you people say.” She marched toward the bathroom. 

“That’s highly offensive.” He replied. 

“You're a lawyer, sue me on behalf of all Brits everywhere.” She said in a faux accent that wasn’t half bad. 

“I just might.” He countered. 

He gave her an unused toothbrush that he kept in the medicine cabinet and they stood over the sink brushing their teeth together. She stared at him, a warm glint in her eyes as she scrubbed at her teeth, occasionally whipping away the white foam around her mouth. She finished first, spitting into the sink and washing her mouth out with a scoop of water. 

“Hurry up, I’m dying to give you a smooch.” She said as she danced on the tips of her toes. He tried not to laugh with toothpaste in his mouth. He spit it out, rinsing his mouth out hastily so he could kiss her. Before he had a chance to stand up straight she pulled him to her and kissed him soundly on the mouth, hard and sweet. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her in the air letting her legs circle his waist. They broke apart breathing heavy and smiling like fools.

“Back to bed?” She asked. 

“Back to bed.” He agreed. And they spent the rest of the day in that bed, and one time on the couch, and maybe another on the kitchen table. 

****

3 months later

Rose let Hux pick the movie that night, said she was okay with a surprise. She had quit _Resistance Video_ about a month ago after she got a job writing film reviews for a feminist magazine. She’d been so excited, jumping up and down when she got the phone call. It was a good job, it gave her time to take classes as well as get her foot in the door for future promotion. It was a good fit for her and all her reviews were great, witty and perceptive. Though Hux supposed he was a little biased. 

Tonight she had no classes or films to see so they decided to stay in at his place. She sat on the couch, a vintage Afghan around her shoulders and a bowl of popcorn in her lap as she waited for the movie to start. He’d popped it in the VCR and returned to his spot next to her, taking a handful of popcorn from the bowl. She wrapped the other end of the Afghan around his shoulder, inviting him into her little cocoon.

The score played as they sat on the couch munching on popcorn. The title card popped up and Rose turned to him with a frown on her face.

“You rented _Glengarry Glen Ross_?” She didn’t seem happy about it. He smiled and nodded his head.

“I’m celebrating.” He told her. She frowned even more. 

“What?” She asked. 

“The last time I’m ever going to have to watch this movie.” She seemed even more confused.

“What do you mean?” She asked. 

“I quit.” He told her. Her eyes widened and she turned to face him almost dislodging the popcorn bowl. He took it from her lap for their own protection. 

“You what?” She asked. 

“I quit First Order. And I talked to Phasma like you told me to and I have an interview Monday.” She shrieked and jumped up, throwing her arms around his neck. 

“You got to be fucking kidding me, Armie! I’m so proud of you.” She said as she hugged him tightly. 

“Thanks. I’m pretty proud of myself too.” He agreed, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tight. 

“Damn. This is so exciting. Makes watching this movie a whole lot better.” She told him. 

“Sure does.” He agreed as they settled in for one last watch of _Glengarry Glen Ross_. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> If you like this follow me on Twitter @friendofdimpy Sometimes I’m funny on there!


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